A GAS leak from an underground storage cavity which killed two people in Kansas could not happen at the plant planned for Byley, claims a power company boss.

ScottishPower's project manager Fred Attwater said safety systems at Byley will be of a much higher standard.

ScottishPower wants to build the £70 million processing plant and natural gas store on Byley Airfield.

Members of Cheshire County Council's planning committee last month voted to visit the site before making a final decision on the controversial scheme.

Congleton Borough Council and Vale Royal Borough Council have already objected to the proposal and recommended that the county turn it down.

And there have been furious protest meetings in Middlewich, Byley, Cranage, Holmes Chapel and Goostrey by villagers fearing it is an accident waiting to happen and a potential health hazard.

Residents' opposition has been fuelled by publicity surrounding the leak in Kansas earlier this year which resulted in two deaths and led to the evacuation of 40,000 inhabitants.

But ScottishPower insists that couldn't happen here.

'This could not happen here in Cheshire where the rock is completely different. The materials, technology and safety systems used here will be of a much higher standard and UK regulation is much tighter' said Mr Attwater.

'Also this incident occurred in a cavity that was originally built for the storage of liquid, not natural gas. The cavities for the ScottishPower project will be specifically engineered for the storage of natural gas.'

He added: 'There are already two much bigger underground salt cavern gas storage facilities operating in the UK and Europe - this is a safe and proven storage method.'

But Congleton Borough Council's planning committee vice-chairman Paul Jones said he was not at all reassured by ScottishPower's comments.

'My belief is that we're talking about storing something that's highly flammable and that's got to be dangerous,' said Cllr Jones, who chaired the meeting of Congleton Borough Council's planning committee when the decision was taken to oppose the scheme.